Bicycle Accident Claims – A Complete Guide

If you are a cyclist, you may ride your as a mode of transport to work or just for fun. If you have been involved in an accident that was not your fault while on your bike, you may be wondering about the bicycle accident claims process.

In this guide, we will discuss when you could be eligible to make a road traffic accident claim following an accident on your bicycle.  Furthermore, we will share some examples of how cycling accidents could occur and the types of injuries you could claim for.

Additionally, we will share what you could do after being involved in a biking accident. This guide also explains how your compensation may be awarded. Finally, we end this guide by sharing how a solicitor from our panel could help you make your claim.

To receive free advice for your case today, you can contact a member of our advisory team via any of the following methods:

A bicycle and helmet lying in the road in front of a car

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Who Could Make A Bicycle Accident Claim?

While using the roads, you and all other road users owe a duty of care to each other. Regardless of if you are a motorist, cyclist or pedestrian, you must use the roads safely to avoid causing harm. You must also adhere to the regulations within the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the rules set out for you within the Highway Code.

If you have been injured while on your bike, you may be able to claim compensation. However, all bicycle accident claims need to meet the following requirements:

  • You must have been owed a duty of care from another road user.
  • They must have breached this duty.
  • This must have caused you to suffer an injury.

Claiming If You Were Partially At Fault

If you were partially at fault for your accident, you may be eligible to make a personal injury claim.

For example, if you failed to cycle in the designated cycling path, and a car hit you from behind due to being distracted by their phone. This may sometimes be referred to as a split liability claim.

How much you would receive in compensation would depend on how much you were considered to be at fault. If you were deemed 25% liable, for example, you would receive 75% of the total compensation you would have received had you not been at fault at all.

Hit And Run Bicycle Accident Claims

If you have been the subject of a hit-and-run accident and have been knocked off your bicycle, you may still be able to make a bicycle accident claim.

You would make your claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). They were set up to award compensation to those who have been affected by uninsured or untraceable drivers, such as hit-and-runs.

To be able to claim through the MIB, you would still need to prove that your case meets the claiming criteria we set out above.

If you have any questions regarding the bicycle accident claims process, you can contact one of our advisors.

A man lying in the middle of the road views from a side-view mirror on a car

Common Causes Of Cycling Accidents

In 2023, according to the Department for Transport, approximately 14,999 cycling accidents were reported across the UK. These incidents resulted in 87 fatalities and 3,942 serious injuries.

There are various ways that a cycling accident could happen. Some examples include:

  • A stationary vehicle not checking that the road was clear before opening their car door, resulting in a cyclist colliding into it.
  • A taxi driver was driving through a red light at a junction, causing them to hit a bicyclist who was following the rules of the road.
  • A driver turning at a junction without checking if it was clear first, causing them to hit a cyclist.

These are only a few examples of accidents that could potentially lead to bicycle accident claims. To discuss your case and see whether you may be eligible for compensation, you can contact our advisors.

A man lying in the road on a zebra crossing after being knocked off his bicycle

 

Injuries In Bicycle Accidents: What Could You Claim For?

If you have been involved in a cycling accident, there are various types of injuries you could have suffered, such as:

Regardless of what injury you suffered, if it was caused by another road user not adhering to their duty of care, you may be able to make a personal injury claim. Contact our advisors today for free advice.

What To Do After A Bike Accident

If you have been involved in a road traffic accident, you should first receive medical attention for your injuries. Depending on which injuries you suffered and how severe they are, you may attend Accident & Emergency (A&E) or book an appointment with your GP.

Following this appointment, you could request a copy of your medical records to use as evidence in your claim.

All bicycle accident claims must be supported with evidence. Examples of other types of evidence you could provide include:

  • Dashcam, helmet or CCTV footage
  • Police accident report (including a police reference number) if they attended the scene of the accident.
  • Witness contact details.
  • Photgraphs of the accident site and your injuries.

How Long Could My Claim Take?

There is no definitive timeframe for how long it would take for your claim to settle. Each case is unique and some factors that could affect how long the claiming process takes include:

  • What injuries you suffered.
  • Are you still recovering from those injuries?
  • If the other party admits liability or not.
  • How long it takes to gather supporting evidence.
  • Whether the claim needs to go to court.

However, you do not need to face the bicycle accident claims process alone. A solicitor from our panel could help guide you through every step. To see if you could work with one of them, contact our advisors.

How Much Compensation Could You Receive For A Cycling Accident?

The amount of compensation that you could receive depends on a number of factors. However, your overall settlement could consist of general and special damages.

General damages is the head of claim that compensates you for the injuries you suffered, both psychological and physical.

Those who are valuing your claim may use the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG) as well as your medical evidence. The JCG contains a list of compensation guidelines for different injuries.

Below we have listed some of the compensation guidelines listed within the JCG, aside from the first entry.

InjurySeverityAmount
Multiple severe injuries including special damagesSevereUp to £1,000,000+
Brain/Head injuryVery Severe£344,150 to £493,000
Moderately Severe£267,340 to £344,150
Moderate£183,190 to £267,340
Back injurySevere (i)£111,150 to £196,450
Moderate (i)£33,880 to £47,320
Neck injurySevere (i)In the region of £181,020
Leg injurySevere (ii) Very Serious£66,920 to £109,290
Arm injuryLess Severe£23,430 to £47,810
Foot injuryModerate£16,770 to £30,500

Special damages are only sometimes awarded in bicycle accident claims and compensate you for the financial losses your injuries have caused you.

Som examples could include:

  • Medical expenses, such as physiotherapy costs.
  • Loss of earnings for time taken off work.
  • Travel expenses.
  • Car costs.

All these expenses will need to be proven with evidence in order to claim compensation for them. This could include bank statements, invoices and wage slips, for example.

If you have any questions regarding how compensation is calculated in personal injury claims, you can contact our advisors.

Making Bicycle Accident Claims With A No Win No Fee Solicitor

One of the experience cycle accident solicitors on our panel could help you with making your claim, provided it is an eligible case.

Furthermore, they could help you claim on a No Win No Fee basis by working under a Conditional Fee Agreement. With this type of arrangement in place, this means:

  • There are no upfront costs for the solicitor to begin work on your claim
  • You won’t be asked to cover any ongoing service costs throughout the claim process
  • There are also no solicitor fees to pay for their work if the claim does not succeed

If your claim is successful, a legally fixed percentage will be taken from your compensation as a success fee by your solicitor.

If you have any questions regarding the bicycle accident claims process, or would like to see if you could work with a solicitor on our panel, you can contact our advisors:

Solicitor working on bicycle accident claims

More Information On Road Traffic Accident Claims

Additional guides by us on road traffic accident claims:

Further resources:

Thank you for reading this guide on bicycle accident claims.